Pipette comprising imaging device element

ABSTRACT

A pipette comprising a cylinder with a piston movable inside the cylinder for aspiring and dispensing liquid, and a handle portion for gripping the pipette, wherein the pipette further comprises an imaging device element for obtaining images that assist the use of the pipette.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 15/317,481, filedDec. 9, 2016, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,112,192, which is asubmission under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No.PCT/FI2015/050388, filed Jun. 5, 2015, which claims priority to FinnishApplication No. 20145531, filed Jun. 10, 2014, the disclosures of whichare hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand-held pipette intended for use inthe dosage of liquids.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pipettes used for liquid dosage in laboratories typically comprise apiston movable in a cylinder for aspiration of liquid into a tipconnected with the cylinder. Such pipettes comprise an elongated handleheld by palm grip. The volume is usually adjustable. Usually, there isalso a mechanism for removing a used tip from the pipette. There alsomultichannel pipettes comprising, e.g., eight channels in a row. Inmanual pipettes, all of the operations are carried out by hand force.The piston in almost all manual pipettes is moved by pushing with thumba spring loaded rod placed at the upper end of the pipette. Volume isusually set by rotating the knob. The detachable tip is removed bypushing a spring loaded push button at the side of the handle.

There are also electronic pipettes in which the piston is actuated bymeans of an electric motor and a control system associated with it. Thetip removal mechanism is still often manual, but there are alsoelectronic pipettes in which also the tip removal mechanism iselectrically driven. There are also electronic pipettes in which pistonsare actuated by manual force and which comprise an electronic displayonly. Electronic pipettes have a user interface for selection of thedesired pipetting function (e.g., direct or reverse pipetting), settingof the volume and for giving commands for performing operations. Theuser interface has the necessary switches for input of the necessarysettings and performance of the functions. The user interface isconnected to a display, by means of which the volume and other necessarydata can be displayed. The display can also show menus allowing datainput in the control system.

Manual pipettes are described, e.g., in EP 112 887 and electronicpipettes, e.g., in EP 1 725 333. An example of an electronic pipette isFinnpipette® Novus Electronic Pipette (Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy,Finland). This pipette contains also a counter which counts the totalnumber of pipetting operations after the latest calibration. The use maygo and check that number and consider whether recalibration isappropriate. After the recalibration, the counter is automaticallyreset.

High reliability and safety level are important factors in pipetting. Atypical user in a laboratory may have to make hundreds of repetitivepipetting series during a working day. The possibility of pipettingerrors, e.g., wrong well in a microplate or wrong volume, exists.Pipetting needs also often very accurate movements when liquid is takenfrom and dispensed into small vessels. This visual task causes extraworkload.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a pipette is equipped with at leastone imaging device element, which is able to monitor the workflowrelating to the use of the pipette. The imaging device element may be asa fixed part of the pipette, especially in electronic pipettes, or theimaging device element may be separate module attachable on the pipette,whereby the imaging device element can also be used with manual pipetteswithout an electronic control system and related interface for operatingthe pipette.

A pipette is in this context preferably a hand-held entity. The pipettemay be used at laboratories for handling liquid samples. Further, thepipette preferably comprises a detachable tip or tip container intowhich liquid is aspired and from which the liquid is dispensed,connected detachably to the body of the pipette.

An imaging device element is in this context a suitable small-sizeddevice for obtaining an image, preferably in digital form, either as asnapshot or as a continuous image feed, and for forwarding the obtainedimage to a suitable viewing or analyzing device. The imaging deviceelement can be a single structural element or it can be broken down to aseparate part located at different places in the pipette of the presentinvention. Examples of the imaging device element are digital cameras,such as disclosed in publications U.S. Patent Application PublicationNo. 2014/0009631 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,873,269 B2.

In accordance with the present invention it is also possible to save themonitored workflow for later inspection if the correct use of thepipette has to be ensured.

Advantageously, the imaging device of the imaging device element isfocused at the area in front of the tip or tips of the pipette, wherebythe image provided may be used to guide the pipetting process moreprecisely, especially when the image shown is magnified view, forexample. The imaging device may also or alternatively be focused at thetip or tips of the pipette, whereby the image can be used to help ininserting pipette's tip or tips correctly in small vessels ordepressions for aspiring or dispensing small amounts of liquid.

The imaging device element can be used to provide continuous image feedto a suitable display or it can be used to take snapshot images. Thecontinuous image feed is helpful for guiding the actual pipettingoperations, for example. The snapshot images can be used for inspectionpurposes, for example.

The pipette according to the present invention is advantageouslyprovided with integrated or separate display for displaying and viewingthe image from the imaging device element. In electronic pipettes thepipette's own display, which may be part of the interface of theelectronic pipette, may be used for viewing the image from the imagingdevice element. In manual pipettes without integrated displays,especially in the cases where the imaging device element is a separatemodule attached to the pipette, the image from the imaging deviceelement may be viewed in separate display, to which the image from theimaging device element is send by cable or wirelessly, for example.

Advantageously, the pipette according to the present invention is anelectronic pipette comprising a motor for moving the piston inside thecylinder, a control system for carrying out pipette operations, and auser interface for operating the pipette. In this kind of electronicpipette, the imaging device element can easily be integrated, andincorporated as a functional component operating and operated throughthe user interface of the pipette.

The pipette according to the present invention, especially an electronicpipette, is advantageously equipped with image recognition, which can beused to provide different types of automatic warnings and confirmations.For example, the image recognition can be used to recognize whether anyliquid is left in the pipette's tip, or if there is a filter missing inthe tip, etc. The image recognition can also be used to identify the tipused in the pipette, and this information may be used to setcorresponding parameters for the pipette. Further, with the imagerecognition the pipette's imaging device element can be used to read barcodes or QR codes (Quick Response codes), whereby settings and/orstandard work rotations can be easily input in the control system of thepipette.

In a pipette of the present invention, the imaging device element may beconnected, or be part of, the handle part or portion of the pipette.Alternatively, the imaging device element may be connected to thepipette via bendable fiber optics wire, which allows easy adjustment offocus area of the digital device element.

The digital imaging device element may comprise a digital camera as theimaging device of the imaging device element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplifying embodiments of the present invention and their advantagesare explained in greater detail below in the sense of an example andwith reference to the accompanying figures, where:

FIG. 1A shows an electronic pipette according to the present invention,

FIG. 1B shows the pipette of FIG. 1A as a cross-section,

FIG. 1C shows area of the cross-section of FIG. 1B,

FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of an electronic pipetteaccording to the present invention as a cross-section, and

FIG. 3 shows a functional diagram of an electronic pipette according tothe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The electronic pipette 1 of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1A-1Cis formed as a handheld entity and the body of which comprises handleportion 2, at upper end of the handle portion tilted display portion 3,and at lower end of the handle portion tip portion 4 of the pipette.

When the pipette 1 is used, it is gripped from the handle portion 2 sothat middle finger of the user sets against finger support 5 at theupper part of the handle portion, which leaves index finger of the userfree to operate the operating switch 6 of the pipette. To the tipportion 4 is attached detachable pipette tip 7, to which liquid isaspired and from which liquid is dispensed during the use of the pipette1.

The outer surface of the display portion 3 of the pipette 1 is equippedwith a display 8 and operation keys 9, which form the user interface ofoperating system of the pipette together with the operating switch 6.

Inside the body of the pipette 1, extending in the area of the handleportion 2 and the tip portion 4 of the pipette, is located a cylinder 10and inside the cylinder piston 11 movable with respect to the cylinder,which both extend along or parallel with the central axis of the handleportion and/or tip portion of the pipette. From the lower end of thecylinder 11, extends a channel 12 at the bottom end surface of the tipportion 4 for obtaining aspiration and dispensing of liquid to and fromthe detachable pipette tip 7 by moving the piston 11 inside the cylinder10. Between surfaces of the cylinder 10 and the piston 11 is located aspring member 13 extending in the length direction of the cylinder andpiston for supporting a sealing o-ring 20 between the cylinder and thepiston.

The means for moving the piston 11 comprises a linear actuator formed bya threaded rod 14, which extends along or parallel with the central axisof the handle portion 2, and an electric motor 15, which moves thethreaded rod in its lengthwise direction through a threaded connectionbetween the unrotating threaded rod and a rotating member of the motor.By moving the threaded rod 14, the piston 11 moves accordingly insidethe cylinder 10.

At the lower end of the handle portion 2 is formed a protrusion 17,inside which is set an imaging device element 16, which is able toprovide a picture or live feed to the pipette's 1 display 8 and/or savethe picture or live feed to the memory of the pipette's electroniccontrol system. The imaging device element 16 can be a single unit, suchas a digital camera unit, or it can have an optical lens and an opticfiber to transfer the optical image to a separate optical imaging sensor18 (e.g., CCD, Charge-Coupled Device), which is preferably located onthe electric circuit board of the control system. The picture may alsobe transferred with a cable or wirelessly to an external display.

The imaging device element 16 is positioned and aimed so, that it showsthe pipette tip 7 and area in front of it (FIG. 1C). Thus, the image orimage feed from the imaging device element 16 can be used to help thecorrect positioning of the pipette tip 7. Further, the thus obtainedimage feed can be used to detect any leftover liquid in the pipette tip7 or if there are any other problems with the pipette tip, for example.These detection actions can also be implemented automatically byanalyzing the image feed from the imaging device element 16 with theelectronic operating system.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of an electronic pipette 21according to the present invention, where the pipette is otherwisesimilar than one presented in FIGS. 1A-1C, and the same referencenumerals are used for the same parts, with the exception of theconnection of the imaging device element 16.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the imaging device element 16 is connectedto the lower part of the handle portion 2 with a bendable fiber opticswire 22. The bendable fiber optics wire 22 allows free positioning andaiming of the imaging device element 16 so that it can be adjusted to besuitable for different applications and for different pipette tips 7,for example.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a functional diagram of an electronicpipette, like the pipettes shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2. The operations ofthe pipette are controlled with a central processing unit (CPU), whichis equipped with memory for storing pre-programmed operations andfunctions. The user gives commands to the CPU through operation keys andselections and information displayed in a display. The CPU is suppliedwith operating power by a battery and a voltage regulator, which can berecharged with a changer through charging connections when the pipetteis placed in its stand. The CPU of the pipette can also be connected toexternal databases through data interface. The CPU receives informationfrom and controls the pipette's piston home position detector. Inaccordance with instructions received from the user through theoperation keys, the CPU controls the motor of the pipette through amotor driver. The CPU controls a digital camera based on user's inputcommands, carries out required digital detection and recognitionactions, and saves the digital image feed from the camera either to itsmemory or to external database through data interface. The memory of thepipette may also include a detachable memory module (not shown), such asmemory cards, for storing the digital image feed or snapshot images. TheCPU also gives alerts through a buzzer in preset situations, or when theCPU notices a problem in a pipetting operation, for example. The dashedline in FIG. 3 presents boundary surface between the pipette itself andthe stand of the pipette in which the pipette is placed when not in use.

The specific exemplifying embodiments of the present invention shown infigures and discussed above should not be construed as limiting. Aperson skilled in the art can amend and modify the embodiments in manyevident ways within the scope of the attached claims. Thus, the presentinvention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand-held pipette, comprising: an elongatedhand-held body having a handle portion configured for gripping thepipette, a display portion, and a tip portion located below the handleportion configured for supporting at least one detachable tip; acylinder disposed within the body and having a piston movable inside thecylinder for aspiring and dispensing liquid; an imaging device elementsupported by the pipette and configured for obtaining at least oneimage, wherein the imaging device element comprises one of a camera unitor an optical imaging sensor including an optical lens that is focusedat an area in front of the at least one tip of the pipette and/or at theat least one tip of the pipette; and a display supported by the displayportion and being configured to display at least one image from theimaging device element.
 2. The hand-held pipette according to claim 1,wherein the imaging device element is configured to provide continuousimage feed and/or snapshot images.
 3. The hand-held pipette according toclaim 1, wherein the hand-held pipette is an electronic pipette,comprising: a motor for moving the piston inside the cylinder; a controlsystem for carrying out pipette operations; and a user interface foroperating the pipette.
 4. The hand-held pipette according to claim 3,wherein the imaging device element, the display for viewing the imagefrom the imaging device element, or the control system of the electronicpipette, is equipped with image recognition.
 5. The hand-held pipetteaccording to claim 1, wherein the imaging device element is connected tothe handle portion of the pipette, or the imaging device element isconnected to the pipette via bendable fiber optics wire.
 6. Thehand-held pipette according to claim 1, wherein the imaging deviceelement comprises a digital camera.